A
legacy is a gift that some one makes to another usually
something that one leaves behind, when departing from this
world, for others to enjoy. Some have left great sums of
money to others and to institutions, and these bequests
have been called valuable legacies. I am now to tell you
of the greatest and most valuable legacy that has ever
been left to man. It is a bequest left not to one man but
to all men. It is not a legacy of silver or gold or
diamonds nor of houses and lands. Nor can this precious
gift be purchased with gold. It is something Jesus gives;
and what he has can not be purchased with any earthly
thing. I will read you what it is: "Peace I leave
with you, my peace I give unto you." These are the
words that Jesus uttered just before His departure from
the world, and this is the legacy He leaves to man. Oh,
what a gift! We can all possess it. We need it as we are
crossing the sea of life. Many storms arise and billows
roll high, but the soul possesses this valuable treasure
of peace. There is a stillness, a calmness, a
peacefulness, in the soul that stormy winds can never
disturb.
This peace that Jesus gives, is
given us through our obedience. "Oh, that thou hadst
hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a
river." What is more peaceful than the calm, even
flowing of a river? As we look upon it, a quiet
peacefulness begins to spread its mantle over our hearts.
Still waters are a beautiful emblem of peace, while
troubled waters are a picture of unrest.
This peace that Jesus gives is
unlike anything that the world gives. This world contains
many pleasant things and makes many very liberal offers,
but peace is never found by accepting any of them. The
pleasures of this world leave a bitter taste, while the
hardships we endure for Jesus sweetens our cup.
Shall we analyze this peace, that
we may know all about it, even the very hidden secret of
the principle ? The apostle says, "The peace of God
which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts
and minds." Let us be satisfied to have our hearts
and minds kept by this wonderful peace, though we do not
understand it. I have some flowers on my desk. There are
white ones and yellow and purple and red and pale blue. I
do not understand the principle of life that gives them
such beauty and fragrance. If I should dissect them in
order to discover this secret, I should destroy their
beauty and be no wiser. We can not understand this peace,
but we can possess it.
There is power in this peace to
keep the heart and mind. "Let the peace of God rule
in your hearts." Give thy heart over to its calm,
still power. It will rule very quietly in your soul, but
rule with kingly power. The waters can not rise in trouble
where peace holds sway. When this secret power has
dominion in our hearts, it speaks peace to all around. It
says to the waves and the winds, "Peace, be
still." Or the attacking fears, on the threatening
circumstances, it lays a quiet hand and whispers, 'Peace,
be still," and great is the calmness of thy soul.
